Auditions

[mrperkolator]

Hi all,

I never successfully auditioned for a band before. I currently play in my church's praise team, but I didn't have to audition to join. I unsuccessfully auditioned for a band when I was ultra new to bass about 30 years ago, but bombed due to not knowing crap about anything. Since then I've learned a lot songs and tuned my ear well enough to pick out the bass lines and know what notes are being played, but I have never taken time to learn to read notes, memorize all the scales, and the like.

Try some chill jam sessions in your area. (all I can think of that wasn't mentioned already)

I feel your pain with the church praise team. Whole notes on root notes of chords can hold a player back if one doesn't diversify (this happened to me). As musicians, I think we should be able to play any style. I'm working up my skills from crap to be able to play other stuff.

And it's probably already mentioned... but play with a drum beat (aux port, or however you can) to get tight with the beat. No matter the style, this seems fairly important. (I recently got an audio interface, and the drummer on garage band is helpful).

 

[FullumMusic]

It kinda depends on the band. Some bands are looking for someone to become part of the gang. They want your playing and attitude to just fit in. There's not much you can do for these auditions beyond show up prepared, play well, and be yourself. You'll either fit what they're listening for and gel with them personally, or you won't, and it is what it is.

Others are more business oriented. Show up, be prepared, play the parts well, play the parts as expected in a way that fits the arrangement, and be polite and professional.

And others still are just ego projects for the band leader. You'll get the gig if the band leader thinks they can ride your coat tails to greatness and you'll just do what they tell you, give them undying loyalty, and you obey and play unwaveringly. For these, show up, play the parts, catch the red flags, go home, and then graciously don't turn down the gig when they call and offer the gig.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

just shouted out chords/notes, and they were thrilled if you could follow.
.

I forgot to add that to my list ! One guy I fill in for does that. I cant say I know every note on the neck. You need to know some!!

 

[Auspuff]

I forgot to add that to my list ! One guy I fill in for does that. I cant say I know every note on the neck. You need to know some!!

We need to know enough.

 

[3Liter]

Brought the booze and the weed to the audition? Jeesh.

We auditioned a singer in a crap band I was in and he brought a 6 pack of tall boys. And drank every single one himself. He also told us that he thought we'd be better than we were. Yeah, we did suck.

I'm in a group now auditioning people through a casual jam. I don't know where the drummer/BL is finding them. I don't know what he tells them. I show up and play bass. I like doing this, because I'm not herding cats. He doesn't always ask about important stuff like version or keys, so I adjusted on the fly for one easy tune. The singer at that time brought his buddy on keys, who he'd never played with. Singer wanted to change the style of something before we'd even played one note. He ended up telling the BL no thanks. Other guy the past week, was an OK singer with odd phrasing. The guitar player that also came was really good. Knew the stuff, but I helped him carry his stuff to the car and not sure what kind of connection he had with the BL on the way out. I don't think we'll see him again.

One thing I look for and provide to the BL. Were they prepared? First guy wanting to change the style....was not prepared. Didn't know the words, the breaks, etc. I'm sure drummer can spot that as well, but I look specifically for it. And could they work well together. This project is brand new so none of us really know each other well. I was recruited from another failed project and nobody tells me what to play, the drummer knew in that situation I was the best prepared (not necessarily the best player) in the room so wen he set this up he called me.

 

[Turnaround]

I've played with folks who couldn't tell the difference between a scale and a doorknob.

There's a difference?

I think it's important to be able to show some versatility. So ask in advance for some tunes to prep. And it helps if you can read a chart. So during the audition you can ask the band if they have a chart for something not on the prep list and play that.

 

[BassDad1964]

For a typical cover band, you'll get a song list.
No one has ever wanted me to play a scale.
Know the rhythms, know the changes, and you're 95 per cent there.
The other 95 per cent is 'don't be a jerk.'

Have you noticed that the first response to any question posed here is usually the correct one? Because I have. And this is correct of course.

 

[Topkat13]

But you showed up. You did your best. That’s all that matters.

 

[BassDad1964]

I auditioned once for a wedding band. They asked me to send a video of me playing the bass to Santeria by Sublime. They said that they dont play the song but they wanted to know if a prospective bass player had any groove and they figured that was the way to weed out the ones who didn't before they showed up and maybe wasted everyone's time.

I nailed the tune but had to drop out of consideration because my knees can't keep up with all the movement they were doing on stage.

 

[slagbass]

I was never put through the, "Michael Anthony Test," so anything beyond that, I cannot share.

What is this "Michael Anthony Test" of which you speak? Never heard of it but it sounds interesting.....

 

[MLC_BassPlayer]

I've been playing bass for over 50 years ( boy are my fingers tired..ba dum)

That was funny as hell, for some reason. Nicely done.

I'll throw a couple of other thoughts in here.

If the band has been together a long time and/or plays out a lot, the expectation will be greatly different than if it is a new band just starting out, because they are going to want you to hit the ground running. They may throw some new things at you to see if you can think on your feet (my current band did that with a drummer - threw a couple of originals at him just to see what he could do). They may also change a song key at the last minute, to see if you can adapt.

Outside of those two items, I agree and support everything said to this point.

PS - I'm actually going to audition for a side hustle next week. I answered the Craigslist add only to be told that while the lead singer and drummer liked me, the lead guitarist had brought along his buddy. Since the whole band was tight they decided that was the best thing. They kept in touch, to the point where they emailed me last night saying they needed a new bass player and asked if I was still interested.

I will follow everyone's advice...

 

[Bullitt5135]

For a weekend warrior cover band...For a proper audition vs. just a jam session, I would want a list of the 4-5 songs they wanted me to know and in which key. I don't enjoy winging it on songs that I don't know. I'll prepare in advance and go to the audition ready to give those songs 100%.

Before I got that far, I'd want to see the band's entire song list. I'd also ask a bunch of questions via email to be sure that our goals and experience are aligned. During the vetting process, I would pass if I thought it was a situation where they required sight reading, a lot of theory, or heavy improv – that's not my bag. I like to talk on the phone for a few minutes just to see if I pick up any red flags. Since I've been burned a few times by just relying on emails or a phone call, I'd also want to see some video – even if it's from a previous band. It's a 2-way street...you are auditioning the band too.

I met a guitar player last week in passing who said his band is looking for a bass player and asked if I wanted to jam. Old me would have said "sure, I'll come over and jam with you guys." New me took his name and number and looked him up on Facebook. The band was OK musically, but the lead singer was hard to watch and their song list was really stale IMO. I saved myself a bunch of time and an awkward situation by doing a little homework.

 

[ChrisB2]

I gotta add, just join a band that gigs. Any band that gigs. For me, I'm not into startups or forever-garagers. Well, I do jam with some old friends from a past band for fun, but I digress.

The point is, just get on STAGE man! I don't care how good they are starting out. Just do it! In fact some of best - if not THE best - education I got in live performance was gained while belonging to a mediocre gigging band eons ago. The BL/singer/lead guitarist was - well, to be kind - not good. He had a smooth voice and obviously a great personality, since he was able to book repeat gigs with this disaster. But the unplanned dropped measures, surprise! added choruses, switched around arrangements... the things he taught me - about listening; adapting; shifting on the fly; reacting - invaluable. I got more stick and move than Richard Pryor on speed man, and it's all thanks to that band. Great times! Lol

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

If you want to pass an audition for a rock band all you need to do is to stop shaving/showering a week before the audition, and show up with a 6-pack of beer

Kidding aside, most of the cover bands won't care if you read music or not, but knowing names of the scales and the notes in them would be helpful. They might want to change the key of a song on the spot.

 

[db59]

Stay focused....less is more

 

[Auspuff]

What is this "Michael Anthony Test" of which you speak? Never heard of it but it sounds interesting.....

Go back on the Net, and look up his audition, with the Brothers Van Halen.

They basically rung his neck, musically.

 

[DJ Bebop]

Hi all,

I never successfully auditioned for a band before. I currently play in my church's praise team, but I didn't have to audition to join. I unsuccessfully auditioned for a band when I was ultra new to bass about 30 years ago, but bombed due to not knowing crap about anything. Since then I've learned a lot songs and tuned my ear well enough to pick out the bass lines and know what notes are being played, but I have never taken time to learn to read notes, memorize all the scales, and the like.

Basically my question is, what are the paces you've been put through when applying/auditioning for a band as a bass player? Do people expect you to know all your scales, know triads, be able to read notes, or are most bands more interested if you can pick up and play songs to cover easily, and are generally more content with that?

I'm asking because I have been pondering on trying out for a rock/pop band vice playing in my church band. I am interested in what your experiences have been; whether, trying out for a band yourself, or putting other musicians through auditions to join your band. - THX!

Depends on the music to be played and the band doing the audition.

 

[LBS-bass]

Know the songs and stay in the pocket. Nobody cares about theoretical knowledge. They just care about how you can deliver what they need.

 

[Pocket Dave]

Back in the 80's we auditioned female singers for a soul band. It was really more of an open casting call. BL fumbled with one disaster candidate after another until one of the other guys asked if he could help speed things along.

"Did you learn the songs?" he'd ask each candidate (there were only 3 to learn). For any answer short of a confident "yes", he replied, "Thanks for your time. This isn't going to be a good fit. Next."

The majority of tryouts hadn't bothered to learn the music. I remember one asking if we could write the lyrics out for her.

If the candidate couldn't carry a tune in a bucket or just had a terrible voice, he'd stop us before the second verse, then politely tell her, "Sorry. Not going to be a good fit. Thanks for your time. Next."

And the irony of it all is we were working at the time, with jobs on the books.

Video clips as a prerequisite to even attending an audition are such a welcome thing on both sides of the equation IMO.

Though in full transparency, I haven't formerly auditioned in decades. I sub or do pickup gigs that sometimes end up being auditions for further work, so there's that I guess.

 

[Michael Milner]

Hi all,

I never successfully auditioned for a band before. I currently play in my church's praise team, but I didn't have to audition to join. I unsuccessfully auditioned for a band when I was ultra new to bass about 30 years ago, but bombed due to not knowing crap about anything. Since then I've learned a lot songs and tuned my ear well enough to pick out the bass lines and know what notes are being played, but I have never taken time to learn to read notes, memorize all the scales, and the like.

Basically my question is, what are the paces you've been put through when applying/auditioning for a band as a bass player? Do people expect you to know all your scales, know triads, be able to read notes, or are most bands more interested if you can pick up and play songs to cover easily, and are generally more content with that?

I'm asking because I have been pondering on trying out for a rock/pop band vice playing in my church band. I am interested in what your experiences have been; whether, trying out for a band yourself, or putting other musicians through auditions to join your band. - THX!

At least 50% of a successful audition is being able to make a favourable impression on the other band members before you even get your bass out. If they don't like the way you look, or get a weird vibe, chances are you won't get the call (or if you do, they will probably be looking to replace you at the first opportunity). Before the audition, I would want to know what the band sounds like and how professional they are. I would also want to know what their expectations are. I have been in bands where other members have brought in written parts they want played. Other times, the band leader has told me why songs to learn (by ear). Usually an audition will involve you performing a song with the band. Obviously, if you have some advance warning of what song it is, you should learn it. I would also ask what keys they play their songs in, because quite often it won't be in the key it was originally performed in, and for the audition you will need to play it in the same key as the band. Good luck, and develope a thick skin.